


there's hope out there (it doesn't have to happen now)

by shokubeni



Series: Credence and Queenie / 20 One-Shots [3]
Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies), Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Credence Barebone Deserves Better, Gen, Happy Credence Barebone, Obscurus (Harry Potter), Protective Tina Goldstein, queenie is an angel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-10
Updated: 2017-02-10
Packaged: 2018-09-23 09:14:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9649331
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shokubeni/pseuds/shokubeni
Summary: credence is slowly healing and overcoming his past, newt wants to help him, queenie is overprotective and tina wants him to follow his own path





	

**Author's Note:**

> his took a little longer that i expected because i got sidetracked with writing  
> headcanons for a while, but got inspired and managed to finish it.
> 
> as always, english is not my first language so please forgive any grammar mistakes
> 
> love, comments, constructive criticism and positive thoughts are more than welcome!!  
> please follow my [tumblr](http://crvdence.tumblr.com/) please!

What it was at the beginning called “temporary custody” seemed to start dancing around the category of “permanent”. Credence was still living in Miss Tina's and Miss Queenie's house, even if they both had a few words, more like screams, it was the first time Credence had seen Miss Queenie screaming, and it was terrifying; with their landlord about “not men allowed in the building”, but it seemed they managed to convince her, or they used magic against her, because Credence was still there.

And somehow, slowly and in his very own pace, Credence was healing. He knew it was going to be a gradual and tedious process, but in all honesty, it wasn't like he had anything else to do. No more pamphlets to give away, no beatings to endure, no cold winter mornings to stand without a coat, no more lectures on God, no more punishments. His days were uneventful, peaceful, full of No-Maj books, magic lessons and learnings with Miss Queenie and Miss Tina, enjoying his time outside now that he wasn't so anxious about going outside by himself, fancying to take long and regarding walks in Central Park. 

He was trying very hard to control the darkness inside of him, trying to channel his bad memories and his dim thoughts, really focusing on disassociating Mister Graves' face from his acts and words, learning about Grindelwald instead, trying to bask in Miss Queenie's nurturing touches and kind words instead of his Ma's. It wasn't easy, and sometimes it didn't quite work, but the truth was, Credence hadn't felt again like he did that night in the subway, or the nights before that. Engulfed by the fog, consumed by his fear, his panic and his anxiety. Completely unable to control himself.

That didn't mean the darkness had disappeared, Credence knew it was still here, it was just more stable, controlled, in balance. Newt had tried to explain what the whole Obscurial and Obscurus thing was, and how it worked. And it was all dark stories, no pun intended. He had talked to him about a young girl who died when tried to be separated from her Obscurus, he had told her about kids being consumed by their own fear and revulsion against magic. Tragic deaths, it always ended the same way.

But Credence wasn't dead, he was alive, striving, surviving, conquering the darkness inside of him as best as he could, and he didn't really could understand _why_. 

“It's because you're different, Credence.” Newt had said to him, in one of his visits between his travels, and Credence never knew what to say when he said that kind of things. “Very powerful.” He looked between fascinated and marvelled, curious and intrigued. He had always felt comfortable around the English man, but there was something in the spark of Newt's eyes that he didn't really understand properly. “You're the first person known older than 10 who is being able to overcome this, you know what's that supposed to mean?”

Credence looked at him, and his mouth opened and closed a few times. No he actually, he had no idea, and he just stared at Newt's face, through his overgrown bangs and slowly shook his head a few times.

“You're making history, Credence.” There was a smile on Newt's face, almost a smirk, and somehow Credence found himself smiling back, even if he wasn't entirely sure what he was making history about, neither if there was a reason for smiling. “And if only we could find a way...” Newt stammered, looking down at his hands on the surface of the Goldsteins dinner table. “To separate you from your Obscurus, now that would be... It's dangerous and not entirely effective yet but if we found a way... If I found a way... Then it would be the first case, and we could understand more about this...” Now, he was failing into his awkward mannerisms again, like he was unsure of what he was saying, and somehow his words stumbled together, the s sounds and the r rolling and the accent was so obtuse Credence sometimes had problems understanding him.

Miss Queenie's giggle distracted him from his thoughts, and he blinked to look up at her instead, while she was cooking. “Oh, I know sweetie It's the accent, those _brits_.” She said it in a way like it was almost mischievous, like they were sharing a secret, and Credence laughed too, making her smile deepen, so her dimple was very prominent on her cheek. Laughing was just a foreign thing to him, it was like he had to learn how to do it all over again and to do it without fear, without the apprehension of doing something wrong, doing anything that would trigger any kind of punishment. But his daily life with the Goldsteins wasn't like that, there was no punishments, no fear, and much more laughing than Credence had experience in all his life.

But when Miss Queenie attention shifted to Newt instead, her whole attitude changed. “You're confusing him... and he's not one of our creatures, Newt.” She sounded so stern, so _serious_ , Credence had to blink up at her again, because it seemed so out of character of her, who was always bright and cheerful. She was worried, Credence could tell even without her gift of mind-reading, but he couldn't really put his mind on why.

“Absolutely not.” Newt replied, in that kind of too polite way, almost awkward once again, his head tilting to the side as he said so, looking at Queenie with an equal solemn expression on his face. “But he's not a child either, Queenie.” He went on, and Credence noticed how Miss Queenie was about to say something before Miss Tina stepped in.

“And he's capable of speaking by his own and make his own decisions, it's not like he's not right here, present in the room.” Miss Tina didn't really look stern, in fact, she seemed kind of annoyed. She had a scowl on her face and her expression was rather exasperated and the two of them looked at her with widened eyes and parted lips, but saying nothing.

It was then when all the eyes turned to Credence, who was sitting there, quiet up until that moment. He _knew_ what they were talking about, Newt had talked about him before, when the both of them were in his suitcase, with his creatures. They talked about trying to separate Credence from his Obscurus, Newt explained to him what happened to that African girl. He knew it was something unstable, no matter if he could control it right now, Credence knew he was still dangerous,and he knew that there was no possibility that the separating him from the Obscurus would work, not at all.

It was scary, of course it was, but it was also scary to live knowing there was something inside of him that was such a dark, destructive force that he had little, very little control of. Something that was triggered over the slightest feelings of anxiety and fear, a tickling boom inside of his chest, ready to explode.

And what if he hurt Miss Tina and Miss Queenie the same way he had hurt his Ma and Chastity the next time it happened? What if he put the lives of hundreds of people in danger because of losing control again? Credence's conscience wouldn't bear that a second time, it was barely bearable right then.

So he just looked at the three of them, blinking, his thoughts drifting from wanting to try and wanting to be _good_ but also being afraid of what could happen, there was a time Credence used to think about death like a liberating end, but now it was just scary and unwelcome. He looked down at his hands, wishing that Miss Queenie could just read everything off his mind and tell the others instead, it would be much easier.

“It would be, honey.” Miss Queenie smiled, sitting down next to him, her hand falling on top of Credence. “But it's better if you say it yourself, Teen and Newt want to know what you think, and they will respect the decision you take. We all will.”

Her words, and her touch, alone was enough for Credence to feel calmer, and he smiled again with a faint nod. This was Mister Newt and Miss Tina, it was people he trusted, people he liked and people he knew who were protecting him and taking care of him, not people who was going to take advantage of the darkness living within him. “I-I would like to try.” Credence said, nodding again. “Even if I... If it's not sure it will work.” His lips pressed into a thin line, and looked at all of them again, but focused longer on Mister Newt. “But... It could work, right?” He stammered a little, and he waited a few seconds for Newt to nod, and Credence smiled after releasing a small sigh of relief. “If there's that possibility, then I want to try.”

Newt grinned, Tina smiled and Queenie let out a sigh, squeezing Credence's hand. “You're so brave, sweetheart.” It made him look down, warmth expanding inside of his chest, like he was being cocooned by the words leaving her mouth.

“Next time I come, Credence, we will try.” They all knew it was too soon to try it then, too hasty. And Newt could research some more, maybe ask Dumbledore. Read more about the little written about Obscurials, try to experiment with the one he had in his suitcase, and find a way to practice _what to do_ without putting someone in danger, so Credence would be less exposed as well.

“Okay Mister Newt.” Newt jumped on his seat, and gave him a stare and a raised eyebrow and Credence straightened almost automatically. “N-Newt.” Newt smiled broadly, muttering _'that's better!'_ , and leaning back on his chair.

They resumed their evening with Miss Queenie's delicious food and the sharing of the stories both from Hogwarts and Ilvermorny, that had Credence grinning with a dreamy smile, thinking about a lifetime filled with magic.

Because Credence was, indeed, making history, and maybe he will be the first one to win.


End file.
